Imagine that you’re planning a trip to Greece, but you have little knowledge of the culture, environment, and language. Although you are excited to be traveling there for the first time, you fear the worst that could happen (getting lost, offending a local, having the worst experience, etc.). To ease your mind, you search up “Greece travel guide” on YouTube and end up finding vlogger videos “How to Make The Most Fun on Your First Trip to Greece,” “Dos and Donts when you’re traveling in Greece,” and “How to Navigate Greece.”
After viewing these videos, your insecurities are replaced with excitement, encouragement, and self-belief. Similar to the travel vlogger who prepares travelers for new trips/adventures, the instructional media designer prepares students for courses.
Through “guiding” content such as explanimations, simulations, storytelling videos, and interactive media, our job is to help students have the best course experience through the know/feel/do framework. Specifically, we prepare them with what they need to know by simplifying complex content for better understanding and retention. We aim to reduce any feelings of fear and frustration by creating content that is fun, engaging, and motivational. We also provide the student with opportunities to apply what they know in a real-world environment.
Explanimations literally explain a complex topic using video and imagery to make it more understanding and relatable for the audience.
Just like traveling anywhere for the first time, you want to be excited, knowing you’ll have the best experience gaining invaluable skills and lessons. When learning something new, instructional media designers believe students should be just as excited as traveling to somewhere new. The work instructional media designers do makes the learning stick, and when the content sticks, the individual can use it in new and innovative ways.
Written by Rhonelee Soria, Senior Instructional Media Designer & Efren Renon, Instructional Media Designer